Broken Shovel Coffee Review

Here at Best Quality Coffee, we're always on the lookout for the hidden coffee gems in the industry. While the established names like Blue Bottle and Stumptown are heralded in specialty coffee circles, there remain hundreds of smaller yet equally comparable coffee brands out there that have yet to be discovered. Today, we take a look at Broken Shovel Coffee located in Joy, IL. The company was kind enough to send us some of their freshly roasted for us to test out. The following Broken Shovel Coffee review examines their light, medium, and dark roasts was done by one of our resident coffee lovers Molly M.

Broken Shovel Coffee Review – by Molly M.

Disclaimer: These unbiased reviews are independent of the company and I was not compensated for my time other than being given the coffee to try.

Broken Shovel Coffee Review – Medium Roast

I was eagerly looking for a new coffee to try and when asked to write a review for Broken Shovel Coffee's medium roast, I jumped at the chance. To start, the product arrived securely packed in a cardboard box, not a flimsy envelope, which was immediately a plus in my eyes because you can tell a lot from a company just by the way they approach the little things, such as the shipping and packaging of their products. The coffee is contained in a simple craft paper coffee bag with a quaint logo.

The bag, once opened, offered the rich aroma of an earthy, chocolaty, quality coffee and the appearance of the beans would be best described as evenly roasted, lightly oiled, with a medium to dark brown hue that was uniform throughout the entire bag. The first sip was a silky smooth wave of warmth that exuded flavors of chocolate with just a hint of fruit and a delicate finish. There was no bitter aftertaste, just a consistent smoothness throughout. I had two cups while at work and felt energized but not jittery. The invigorating feeling lasted throughout the entire day and I didn’t suffer from the post-lunch lag that normally occurs about an hour after eating. This is particularly important to me because I own two businesses and manage another so I am kept quite busy throughout the day, thus to find a blend that can keep up with my hectic lifestyle is always a plus. Since the energizing effect lasts for hours, I wouldn’t recommend drinking this coffee into the evening hours if you are someone that has trouble sleeping as you might find it difficult to wind down for the night.

Overall, I really enjoyed this coffee and give a solid two thumbs up. If you are on the fence, I urge you to give it a try. It has a great aroma and taste while providing lasting energy. You won’t be disappointed.

Broken Shovel Coffee Review- Dark Roast

The Broken Shovel Dark Roast coffee came in brown paper bag and the rich scent was evident from across the room. The bean appearance was a consistent oval shape, heavily oiled, and with a dark brown, almost black coloring. The roast on the beans was even throughout the entire bag.

I eagerly placed some coffee beans in the grinder, turned on the coffee pot, and eagerly awaited for the coffee to brew. The coffee had an intense, earthy, almost chocolaty aroma that filled the kitchen quite quickly. Once brewed, I poured myself a cup and let the hot liquid dance over my tongue. The flavor was exceptionally intense, so much so, that I was almost overwhelmed. I let the flavors marinade in my mouth for a moment and noticed that it had a slightly bitter and acidic finish. I added some cream and sugar and it set the coffee off. It was rich and delicious and drew out a hint of fruit that I hadn't noticed previously. The coffee ramped me up with a nice boost of caffeine and I was able to accomplish my daily agenda and keep my focus. I didn't feel jittery even though the coffee was so strong and it lasted throughout the entire afternoon.

In summation, this was a very nice coffee with an intensely bold flavor and aroma. It has an acidic and slightly bitter flavor with hints of chocolate and fruit. It's a great energy booster and wonderful at helping to increase concentration. I imagine most people that enjoy strong coffee will appreciate this offering from Broken Shovel. I would not recommend this coffee for later in the day or night unless you plan on staying up into the wee hours of the morning. I think most people will enjoy this and would definitely recommend it to friends.

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Broken Shovel Coffee Review – Light Roast

I have tried a few versions of Broken Shovel and was interested to see how the Light Roast coffee would compare.

The Broken Shovel Light Roast Coffee came in a charming brown paper bag that was nicely packaged in a sturdy cardboard box. I could smell the coffee as soon as I placed it in my hands. I opened the bag and was welcomed by light brown beans, devoid of any surface oil with a matte appearance. The beans were consistent in size and shape. The roast was even throughout the entire package. I ground up a pot's worth of beans in my trusty grinder and then placed the contents in the coffee pot to brew. Once the pot was turned on, it only took a minute for the airy, intoxicating aroma to reach my nostrils. A small hint of cocoa was the most apparent scent and I excitedly waited for the brew to finish. I poured the coffee into a mug and it had a great cocoa taste when taken black which was followed by a distinctly crisp finish but, in my opinion, it wasn't robust enough to carry the flavor through a cup taken with milk and sugar. If there were other flavors in the coffee, I couldn't tell.

Those that need an intense pick-me-up or a cup to wake up in the morning might not have the best results with this roast, however it would be perfect for later in the day or possibly into the evening as it didn't give my body a severe caffeine jolt but rather a nice, little boost that wore off after about an hour or so.

In conclusion, this was a nice coffee and would be great to drink black. The caffeine boost isn't very strong so it could easily be taken in the early evening without fear of sleepless nights. It was nicely packed, the beans were even and uniform, and I would recommend it to anyone that enjoys a light roast coffee.

In conclusion, Broken Shovel Coffee's light, medium, and dark roast coffees offer a very multi-sensory, authentic, and consistent coffee experience that coffee lovers of all preferences can enjoy. It's only fitting that a coffee that's so enjoyable originates from a city called Joy.

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